"Try it from back here, you fuck,” she snarled.
She ducked once again below the back of the seat. The tape on her hands and mouth was gone, but her feet were still bound, her fingers too slick with blood and clumsy with fatigue to get a grip on the multiple layers of tape. So the hell with her feet; she didn't need her feet to shoot a gun and Jabril could be here at any moment.
"Elizabeth,” she said softly, shaking the younger woman. “Wake up, hon. I need you to move."
Elizabeth woke with a start, her eyes going wide with confusion. “What? Huh?” She struggled to sit up, and Cyn saw the knowledge of where they were flash across her face before she fell back to the floor with a moan.
Cyn agreed with the sentiment. “That about sums it up,” she said briskly. With no time to waste, she took hold of Liz's arms with both hands and urged her to move away from the side compartment where her weapons were stored.
"Your hands!” Liz whispered in shock. “How ... Can you undo me too?” She held her hands out eagerly, frowning when she saw the blood slicking Cyn's fingers. “What happened? Oh my God..."
"Don't worry about that; we've got bigger problems. Switch places with me."
Cyn glanced up again as they maneuvered around each other, feeling the truck rock slightly with the movement, but their captor had walked away and was staring into the distance.
"I've got a bad feeling about this,” she muttered, scrabbling at the edges of the side compartment. It came loose finally, and she shoved it aside, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw everything still there and reaching immediately for the Spyderco folding knife velcroed to the wall of the compartment. She cut the tape binding her own feet first, and then freed Liz's hands with a quick swipe and handed her the knife. “Do your feet,” she said tersely.
She grabbed a black canvas case next, unzipping it to reveal two Sig Sauer handguns. She picked up one at a time, did a quick safety check on each and reached for a box of 147 grain Hydra-Shok ammo. This was her vampire killer load; it made a neat little hole going in, but a really big mess coming out. She figured even a vamp couldn't stand up to having his brains splattered into tiny pieces. If nothing else, it would put him on the ground long enough for her to stake him. She slammed the magazine into the first gun with practiced efficiency and picked up the second.
"Okay, we're in a world of shit here, Liz,” she said, speaking fast and low. “But we're not down yet. Have you ever shot a gun?"
She looked up and saw total fear on the teenager's face. Cyn stopped what she was doing, put the gun down and drew a calming breath. Panic would kill them both. “Listen to me, Liz,” she said slowly. “Raphael's on his way. I can feel him in my head, but I don't know how far away he is or how long it'll take him to get here. Either way, we can't afford to sit and wait, so I need your help.” She took the girl's shaking hands in her blood-covered fingers. “Can you do this? You were strong enough to get away once, can you do it again?"
Big tears began to roll down Liz's face, and Cyn's mind was already running alternative plans when the girl suddenly returned Cyn's grip strongly. “I'd rather die than go back there,” she whispered. “Tell me what I need to do."
"Good girl,” Cyn breathed. “Okay. Have you ever shot a gun?” she repeated. Liz shook her head mutely. It might have been better if they could both shoot, but the truth was a straight 9 mm shot wasn't going to do shit to a vampire, and Cyn had no intention of turning over a load of her “special” ammo to a novice. It would be too easy for the wrong people, like Cyn or Liz herself, to end up dead.
"All right. We can't beat them in a straight up fight anyway. They're too fast and too strong, so we need to be smarter. I want you to fight. Scream, kick, bite, I don't care what you do, but do not go easily. Jabril wants you alive, but he's a sick fuck, so he'll probably bite you for the hell of it.” Cyn didn't honey-coat the possibilities. She wanted Liz angry and ready to fight, not hysterical because the big bad vampire had sucked a little blood, or even a lot of blood. “Remember this, Liz. It might hurt like hell, but it won't kill you and it won't make you a vampire. It takes a lot more than a single bite to do that."
Cyn ducked down as the darkness was suddenly drowned by a wash of light. Peering over the seat, she saw three cars drive past the truck and come to a dust-churning halt in a rough semicircle facing the rear of the vehicle. One of those cars was a nice long limo, and Cyn had a pretty good idea who was sitting in the back seat. The appearance of Jabril's bodyguards confirmed her guess, and she gave fate a nod of thanks that the giant Calixto wasn't among the vampire lord's traveling security detail. The vampires jumped from the still-moving sedans and took up positions around the limo as the white-haired PI went over to greet his employer.
Cyn watched long enough to see Asim emerge, carrying a black briefcase, then dropped back to the floor of their compartment and sent a silent plea to Raphael to hurry. “It's Jabril,” she said to Liz, struggling to keep her voice steady. “Asim's with him and a whole lot of others. Are you ready for this?"
"No.” Liz's voice was shaking and she gave despairing chuckle. “Do I have a choice?"
"Good point,” Cyn whispered as she heard footsteps crunching closer.
The hatch swung upward. “Your carriage awaits, ladies,” the PI said with a bluff good cheer that made Cyn's stomach turn. Jabril must be paying this asshole a whole lot of money.
The PI grabbed Liz first, jerking her out of the truck. His mouth fell open when he saw the cut tape and Cyn rolled to her knees, prepared to take advantage of his surprise. But Asim leapt forward and snared her with that uncanny vampire swiftness, taking the gun from her hand as easily as if she were a child. The PI grunted an embarrassed acknowledgment of Asim's help, and he glared at Cyn before manhandling Elizabeth upright to face the limo as Jabril emerged from its depths.
"Don't do this,” Liz pleaded, twisting in the PI's arms. “Don't you know what he is, what he'll do to me?” She was doing her best to make it difficult for him to hold onto her. There was no need to fake the terror in her voice.
"The law says he owns you, missy."
"No! Not anymore. I'm eighteen. Today's my birthday. Please! Please, let me go. He'll kill me."
"Well, now, how do I know you're telling the truth, huh? Whereas Mr. Jabril Karim there has given me fifty thousand reasons to believe him."
"You bastard,” Liz screamed. “Let me go!” She went ballistic then, flailing her arms, kicking him, even smashing her head forward in a failed head butt. The PI struggled to grab her and she bit him, sinking her teeth in hard enough to draw blood.
"Bitch!” he swore. He raised a meaty hand to hit her, but Jabril intercepted him with a casual gesture, locking the PI's thick fist in one delicate hand.
"That won't be necessary.” He gripped Liz's chin in one hand, turning her gently to look at him. He smiled.
Cyn watched helplessly as Liz succumbed to Jabril's power, and wondered why she'd ever thought they'd be able to resist him. The vampire lord spoke softly, and Liz leaned into him, rubbing against him like a cat. Jabril embraced her in an obscene parody of affection and sank to the ground, holding her effortlessly across his lap as his fangs slid out and he lowered his mouth to her neck. Cyn turned away, unable to watch, but Asim forced her head around, holding her with a wiry strength unexpected in that skinny, sunken-chested body.
Her eyes closed against the sight, and Asim chuckled.
"Did you think to resist us, Cynthia?” he whispered in her ear. He tightened his grip, one hand gliding over her breasts and down her abdomen suggestively. Cyn didn't bother to conceal her shudder of revulsion, and Asim's voice hardened with anger. “Tell me,” he said, shaking her slightly. “Did you think your puny weapon could harm my master?"
"With respect, sir,” the PI spoke up from behind them, where he was rummaging through Cyn's hidden cache. “That weapon's packing a pretty heavy load. Bitch knows what she's doing."
"Really?” Asim purred. He jerked his head at the PI.
“You there. Assist Lord Jabril Karim. When he's finished with the girl, you can put her in the limousine."
Cyn thought at first the PI would refuse, but then he dropped the box of ammo and took several steps closer to Jabril, muttering, “...not a fucking servant.” Cyn stared at his back. She didn't need to see what Jabril was doing to Liz. She could hear the sounds of his feeding perfectly well.
"Is it true what he said?” Asim murmured at her ear. “Could you kill my master with that weapon?"
Cyn fought the instinctive urge to pull away from his hissing breath. “Probably. Long enough to stake him anyway. I was looking forward to it."
Asim was silent for the space of two breaths. “So do it,” he said so softly that the words were little more than air.
Cyn froze, stunned and suspicious. Could she trust the vampire? Why would he do this? On the other hand, what choice did she have?
"Why don't you do it?” she breathed.
"I cannot,” Asim said with simple honesty. “He is my Sire, my master of several centuries.” His voice grew softer, more persuasive. “But you can, Cynthia.” He gestured with a shoulder to where Liz lay unresponsive while Jabril lapped blood from her neck like a fastidious cat. “Is it not worth taking a chance? What do you have to lose?"
What indeed, Cyn thought. She opened her mouth to agree, but then remembered something Raphael had told her about his Mistress's death. “What happens when he dies? What about the others?” She nodded at Jabril's vampire minions who were focused with a singular hunger on what their master was doing.
"They are weak. I will handle them."
"Handle how?” Visions of Asim throwing her and Liz to the wolves flashed vividly through her mind.
Asim chuckled again. “So suspicious. Are we not allies?” He ran a thin finger down her cheek. “I would not waste such beauty on the likes of those. No, I had another sacrifice in mind.” He glanced at the PI's back.
Cyn was repulsed by his casual cruelty, but if was a choice between her and Liz or the PI who had delivered them to the vamps...
"What happens to Liz?"
"She comes with me."
"No."
"Yes,” his voice hardened. “Elizabeth remains with me and you walk away free. That is my offer. Rest assured, I will treat her far better than Jabril ever did Mirabelle."
"I want Liz safe."
"As do I. Time is running out, Cynthia. He will finish soon, and your only chance will be while he is distracted by the feeding. Do we have a deal?"
Cyn swallowed, choking on her next word. “Yes."
The gun nudged into her hand and she took it, running her fingers over its surface, verifying its readiness. Asim's hands dropped from her and she jerked quickly away from him, much to his amusement. She waited until Jabril's girlish mouth lifted away from Liz's pale skin, watched as he threw his head back to savor the blood rolling down his throat. In a single, smooth movement, she raised the gun, took careful aim and fired. Her finger squeezed the trigger twice in quick succession.
Jabril's eyes flashed open in the final seconds, more irritated than alarmed, but it was too late for even a vampire lord. Two perfectly round holes appeared above the bridge of his nose, quickly filling with blood as the rest of his head blew away. He fell backward, propelled by the force of the blast, Liz rolling from his lifeless arms.
Jabril's bodyguards froze long enough for Asim, in a burst of vampire speed, to sweep Liz up and throw her into the truck. Cyn made an aborted movement in the PI's direction, but Asim tumbled her on top of Liz and shoved the bewildered PI toward the dead Jabril with the same motion. Cyn tried to shout a warning but had to jerk away when Asim slammed the hatch shut.
She clambered back to the window in time to see several of Jabril's vamps collapse to their knees, their faces contorted in pain and grief. Others remained standing, but barely. Swaying from side-to-side, eyes blank and staring, their muscles tensing and veins bulging as if under some terrible strain. Suddenly one of them threw his head back and howled, his hands tearing at his own hair, ripping out great bloody chunks of scalp along with it. As if this was some sort of signal, the others responded by pounding on their own flesh, turning their faces to the night sky in a horrible cacophony of mourning.
The first one turned abruptly, his own blood running down his face and hands, his head swiveling slowly from left to right as he scanned the area, eyes flashing yellow with fury when he spied the terrified PI backing slowly out of the circle of cars. The vampire's mouth opened in a vicious grin, his fangs gleaming white and sharp. He howled again, but it was no longer in grief. The maddened vampires turned as one.
And Cyn screamed.
Chapter Fifty-five
They sped through the night silently, the only noise the whistle of tires on asphalt. With no other cars on the road, the vampire drivers had turned off the headlights, seeing better with only the moonlight to guide them. Raphael's thoughts were on the road far ahead, where he could feel Cyn growing more frantic with every mile closer to the border. Surely she knew where she was being taken, and what awaited her there. His people had lost all contact with the outside world some miles back, entering the wireless dead zone. He found it odd that such a thing could still exist in a world where every person seemed to own a cell phone. He heard Duncan curse beneath his breath as he tried once again to establish contact.
"It doesn't matter, Duncan,” he said softly. “She is very near."
"My lord—” Winona began, but Raphael cut her off with a sharp intake of breath. He stiffened abruptly, his gaze trained straight ahead, his eyes glowing molten silver as he reached out instinctively to shield his people against a sudden wash of unrestrained power.
"Jabril,” he growled.
Winona's eyes were wide with confusion, but Duncan understood. “He is dead?” Duncan said in disbelief.
"He will be soon,” Raphael said absently, straining to find Cyn through the storm of Jabril's death call. His head jerked up as Cyn's cry of terror suddenly pierced the tumult.
"Stop!” He said it with such force of will that all three drivers were hitting the brakes before their conscious minds were even aware that an order had been given. “Duncan,” Raphael said sharply, and then he was gone, the door hanging open to the breeze of his passage.
"Bring the vehicles,” Duncan ordered the surprised Winona as he shoved past her to follow Juro, who'd ripped the passenger door open with such fury that the metal was still groaning with strain.
In a matter of moments, the vehicles had emptied out, leaving only Winona and the drivers on the desolate road.
Chapter Fifty-six
Cyn covered her ears against the howls of the maddened vampires. She only wished she could tear her horrified gaze away from the sight of Windle being torn apart piece by piece, the vampires ripping off chunks of flesh, sucking on the meat and fighting with each other over the spoils.
Only Asim seemed unaffected, standing motionless with his back to the truck. One of the crazed vampires leapt for the truck, and Cyn tried to scream over the bile surging up her throat. She shoved herself away from the window and against the back of the seat, but Asim repelled the attacker easily. He threw the vampire into the arms of another, and watched calmly as the two began tearing at each other in a renewed frenzy.
Apparently, Asim's plan for dealing with Jabril's minions involved letting them destroy each other so he wouldn't have to.
Cyn stared in shock a few moments longer, and then jerked herself into motion. She had no illusions about Asim's willingness to keep their bargain, because she had no intention of keeping her part of it either. Did he really think she would turn over Liz to save herself? Of course, he did. This was the guy who, at this very moment, was letting his future subjects tear each other apart in order to make his life easier over the next few days. Nothing Asim did would surprise her.
Her glance fell on the gun he'd let her use to kill Jabril. Well, almost nothing, she thought. She searched the compartment until she
found the second gun with its full magazine of Hydra-Shok, checked it quickly and tucked it against her back beneath her jacket, then turned to the unconscious Liz.
The neck wound had sealed over already, which was typical of a vampire bite. Nature was a wonderful thing. Sometimes. Cyn felt the girl's forehead, brushing away a lock of blond hair. It was cool, but dry, and when she checked her pulse, it was strong. Jabril had a lot of experience draining women; he knew how much he could take without damaging his victim. It was fortunate he'd needed Liz alive.
Cyn became aware it had grown silent outside the truck, and she looked up to see Asim laying his hands on a kneeling vampire. It reminded her of Raphael's ceremony with Mirabelle, and she realized he was probably doing very much the same thing. She wondered if Asim was strong enough to hold Jabril's territory, but didn't waste too much effort worrying about it. After all, if she had her way, Jabril's territory would still be very much in need of a new lord after tonight.
Asim lifted his hands from the head of his newest minion, his shoulders slumping briefly in exhaustion. The newly sworn vamp remained on his knees, swaying slightly, eyes closed. Only one other vampire knelt next to him, and he was in an even worse state, leaning back onto his heels, head lolling in semiconsciousness. Both were spattered with blood and bore the signs of a hard fight. As if aware of her scrutiny, Asim spun around and strode toward the truck, his eyes meeting hers across the distance.
Cyn steeled herself with a deep breath. Adrenaline had her heart pounding, her blood rushing and every nerve zinging. She fought the urge to touch the weapon hidden at the small of her back and instead clenched her fingers around the gun Asim knew about, the one she'd used to kill Jabril. She held it in plain sight, not even flinching when Asim reached for the truck and pulled the heavy cargo door upward. Faster than she could follow, he leaned over and took the gun from her hand, holding her wrist and squeezing it painfully. “We don't want any accidents now, do we, Cynthia?"
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